thompson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.'

R. E. THOMPSON.

' LUBRIOATOR. No. 306,975. Pqtented Oct. 21,1884.

WITNESS ES. V Ill/VE/VTOR QZT/ Z/ 4% 6% (fie Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. E. THOMPSON.

- LUBRICATOR. v No. 306,975. Patented OctQZl, 1884.

firm? N. PETERS. Pnow-linw n hen Whhinginm D c.

RICHARD E. THOMPSON, OF OOHOES, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOE TO REUBEN B. THOMPSON, OF SAME PLACE.

LUBRIOIAT'OR.

SiPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 306,975, dated October 21, 1884.

Application filed September 16, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ who/1t it may concern:

Be it known that I, Brennan E. THOMPSON, a resident of the city of Oohoes. in the county of Albany, and State of New York, have in- 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricants; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper- IO tains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in lubricators for loose pulleys or sleeves.-

The object of my invention is b0 provide a self regulating and feeding lubricator that will not waste the lubricant nor soilsurrounding objects.

My invention consists in providing a con tinuous duct from a lubricating-reservoir to the bearing-surface of a loose pulley or sleeve interior-1y of the pulley or sleeve-supporting shaft, and ieeding tallow or similar solid lubricants through the same to lubricate said pulley or sleeve.

Figure l of the drawings is a side eleva- 0 tion of my improved device applied to a sewing-machine transfer-power. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the hollow supporting-shait.

A is a hollow shaft or cylinder of metal, supported by the hanger B, bolted to lower side of sewing-machine bench or table 0. The shaft supports the two loose cone-pulleys a b and the lubricating-reservoirs c (l. 0 \Vhen in'use the loose pulley a travels c011- tinuously, being impelled by a power-belt,

(not shown in drawings) and from it power is intermittingly transferred by friction through pulley b to the sewing-machine, the friction being obtained through lever F, pivoted to the hanger and provided with the arms G and H. The lever may be operated by a treadle, the arms G serving to force pulley a firmly against pulley b and to withdraw it again boss of pulley (i through sliding guide 9 running in grooved The arm H carries a brake, c, which descends upon pulley b to stop it the moment the power transferred through pulley a is withdrawn. Thelever is provided with a controlling-spring, S, which operates to separate the pulleys when the treadle-power is withdrawn.

In large factories, where sewing-machines are run by steam-power and operated by con stantly changing employs, it is wholly unsafe to rely upon the skill and discretion of the operator to keep a constantly-moving pulley properly lubricated. Liquid lubricants cannot beused without soiling the clothing of the operator and frequently doing great injury to the goods being operated upon.

By employing my improved device the tallow is fed to the bearing-surface as it is needed without waste and without injury to surrounding objects, as the lubricant is never fed to the bearing'surfaces in quantities sufficient to permit any part to escape therefrom, and it cannot escape in transition. N o atten tion whatever to its lubrication is required. I have operated one continuously for more than a year without renewing or disturbing the solid lubricant during the whole period, and without the least injury to the bearingsurfaces. As the lubricant is required it is drawn out through the openings m in the shaft upon the bearingsurface of the pulley, and the remainder flows forward to take its place. The consumption is so slow the solid mass will easily flow to supply it, as frozen glaciers flow down mountain ravines. If for any reason the flow should stop or be insufficient, it can be started or increased by pressure upon the stoppers or pistons a a or i i.

In Fig. 1 the stopper a is shown pressed farther into, its reservoir than stopper n in its, and in Fig. 2 stoppers 5 and n are removed. There may be a reservoir up through the hanger B, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The bore in shaft A need not extend entirely through, as a solid space shown between dotted lines in Fig. 2 may beleft unbored, thereby making the lubrication of one pulley independent of that of the other.

What 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A hollow shaft adapted to form a bearing on its exterior surface for one or more 5 loose pulleys and provided with one or more small apertures connecting said bearing-sun face with the interior cavity in the shaft, in combination with a lubrieating-reservoirfixed thereon and provided with a leeding-stopper 10 and interiorly connecting with the interior cavity of said shaft, and a continuous line of tal low or similar lubricant in a solid state ex tending from said reserv'oir through said shaft to the bearing-surface of said pulley, substair 15 tially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. A hollow shaft adapted to form a bearing on its exterior surface for ill loose pulley, and provided with one or more small apertures connecting said bearing-surface with 20 

